Love Not Allowed
by Hitokun
Summary: FE:SS AU Secrets, love, and mystery at an all girls' school. Chaos breaks loose as people slowly start to disappear, giving birth to a scheme that unleashes evil incarnate upon the world. Shoujo Ai EirikaxAmelia MarisaxTana -Revamp underway-
1. Prologue: Foul Temptations

**Love Not Allowed**

**Prologue – **Foul Temptations

* * *

Amelia was the perfect high schooler. Beautiful in every way, she had a radiant appearance, her golden locks were silky and long, her emerald eyes shone like precious jewels. Even as a sophomore at St. Rausten's all girls' school, she was surprisingly popular among all the grades, as well as with the all boy's school across campus. With her marks at the top of the school, and her extra curricular agenda filled to the brim, there was no one who could supersede Amelia, the student council's vice president, save for one person. That one person was none other than a real princess, the heiress of a faraway land by the name of Renais. The princess, Eirika, had every possible good quality down, with a strong sense of justice. But as it is with most good things, there were some flaws that hid themselves in the shadows. 

Alongside the princess was her twin brother, Ephraim, a character as solid as Eirika's and together, as the leaders of both their schools, they governed it as they liked, though there certainly were no complaints. Ephraim was a strapping young man, his soft teal hair complimented Eirika's aquamarine locks, the twins depicted the true meaning of royalty. Amelia herself was an old friend to them both. She herself would have taken an interest in Ephraim if he wasn't already taken, and if only she liked the opposite sex... In fact, Amelia's true downfall was the liking she had taken towards girls…and being in an all girls' school, living in an all girls' dorm…it really got to her. Despite that, from outer appearances, no one could tell that Amelia was downright queer, and that supposed fact was supported by her fiancé, Sir Franz. Sure, they were still in high school, but their families were both from the high society, and these things were arranged to be like that. And the reality that she had to keep her social standing for her parents' sake, her secret was even more trouble to maintain…

* * *

Sitting at her desk in the student council office, Amelia silently and diligently worked away at the paperwork that held her freedom captive until it was all done. The scratching of her pen stopped as she lowered it, sighing as she lay her head down. Unconsciously, her gaze wandered over to Eirika, who wasn't so obediently doing her work either. With her feet atop her presidential desk, the princess leaned back in her chair as she stretched her tired limbs. Amelia, out of the corner of her eye, watched intently, following Eirika's every move. A faint blush appeared on the blonde's face, the school's infuriatingly short skirt revealing Eirika's long and slender legs, also giving her a glimpse of the princess' cotton white panties… 

She was such a… Forcibly casting that thought out of her head, she turned back to the various documents that had to be read over and approved, to avoid giving her upperclassman such immoral looks. That plan had failed as her attention was once again drawn to the princess by a small noise she made, a cute little yawn Eirika occasionally let slip. The student council president stretched once again, stretching her arms above her head, her white dress shirt riding up, exposing her alabaster skin and her perfectly toned stomach. Amelia's blush grew deeper, and she was getting quite hot under the collar. Was Eirika purposely trying to make her so uncomfortable? For no one besides Amelia and Ephraim knew about Eirika's…wild side. She wasn't just the innocent little angel everyone thought she was. Oh no…deep down, she was almost a whole different person inside.

She'd had enough of the temptation swirling around in their midst. Swallowing the lump that had gotten itself stuck in her throat, Amelia abruptly stood, piling up her papers and stuffing them into her bag, packing up her other things as well. Eirika stared, looking clueless as to what Amelia was doing. Without a word, the younger girl headed towards the door. Just as she was about to turn the doorknob, a hand held her back. With clouds of foreboding rolling in her mind, she turned around, ever so cautiously. Just as she whirled around, she was pinned to the door behind her by a pair of lean arms, with nowhere to go. Struggling half heartedly, Amelia tried to overcome Eirika's hold, but it was no good. Smiling devilishly, the princess had pressed right up against her, causing Amelia to redden immensely. As Eirika leaned in, she captured the younger girl's lips with her own, muffling the protests and replacing them with moans of guilty pleasure.

Finally, the two parted, a string of saliva connecting them. A sour look on her face, Amelia broke away from Eirika, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

Eirika laughed guiltily. "Sorry! I really couldn't help myself...being cooped up in this office all day...with you just across the room. So close, yet so far..."

Head lowered, Amelia muttered supposedly to herself. "Eirika…Someday, I'm going to confess my love for you in front of the whole school…and it'll all be your fault!!" Amelia's face was flushed a dark red, as Eirika laughed good naturedly.

"Well, I'll be looking forward to it then! But I'm not quite sure you'd be able to do it… I don't think you have the guts to go that far." Eirika smiled that smile, that smile that made Amelia wish that she were a guy…

"I know…" The blonde paused, and she turned away, in order not to let Eirika see the tears that welled up in her emerald eyes. "I…really love you, Eirika…but you…you…" Amelia couldn't continue on. Eirika' had been her best friend, confidante and the object of her affections. She had confessed to her a numerous number of times, but the answer was still the same. Nothing would alter it.

"I'm sorry…I wish things could be different." Eirika's demeanor changed drastically, and the tension could be felt in the air. Their conversation came to this every time, and they both knew that their relationship was bound to be complicated. Walking over to Amelia, Eirika wrapped her arms around the younger girl, caressing her golden mane comfortingly. "Let's go, Amelia…" She nodded silently, picking up her things as she waited patiently for Eirika by the door. Together, the pair walked slowly back to their dorm, one they shared with a number of their friends.

Amelia clung onto Eirika tightly, head resting on her shoulder as they walked. The sun had begun to set, brilliant oranges and reds lighting up their surrounding. At this time of day, there would be no one left on the school grounds, so it was ok to be together… Just being in the princess' presence was enough, just being her friend was enough… That's what she told herself every time her heart seemed to shatter just a little bit.


	2. Chapter 1: Le Début

**A/N: **Chapter one of what I'm planning to be a long story… This chapter's a long one, so be prepared… As usual, standard disclaimer applies…and please enjoy and possibly review! I accept all kinds of reviews…except for flames. They make me cry ..

* * *

**Love Not Allowed**

**C****hapter 1 – **Le Début

* * *

"_Amelia…Amelia…Wake up…"_

"Mhmm…Just five more minutes…" Amelia buried her face into her fluffy pillow, drifting off to sleep again, but still, that persistent voice roused her from her dreams.

"Amelia. Wake up"

She slowly opened her eyes, the blurriness clearing up gradually. Dawn's early rays streamed in through the windows, the curtains still drawn. Sitting up, she yawned and rubbed her eyes of the weariness she felt. Suddenly, her eyes caught a strange tint that certainly didn't belong in her room. Since when did teal ever work its way into her very plain décor?

"Good morning, Amelia!"

The blonde dived back under the covers at that, her cheeks flared with embarrassment. She tried to comb through her hair hastily, since her blonde locks were sticking up at odd angles, a look that was not acceptable if she wanted to maintain her image, especially in front of such a beauteous angel…

"Umm…Is something wrong …?"

Amelia nearly screamed as her early visitor popped her head beneath the covers, her perfect face held a smile drawn in slight confusion. Hurriedly, Amelia threw the thin blanket off, sitting cross legged on her soft, king sized mattress. "Oh, nothing's wrong! You just surprised me, Eirika!" As the teal haired girl stared at her, Amelia could have sworn her heart had skipped a beat. Smiling sheepishly, the blonde dredged up the whole issue of the princess' appearance in her room, which was usually locked… "So…What brings you here so early in the morning?"

Eirika tilted her head a bit, tapping her supple, pink lips as she contemplated. "Well…I was planning on doing a couple things before the meeting started, but I could smell Marisa's wonderful cooking from all the way across the hall, so I came over, seeing if we could all catch a bite before we headed off."

Three things ran through Amelia's mind as she sat there. Firstly, she couldn't help but wonder why Eirika took pleasure in teasing her with her utterly adorable mannerisms… Secondly, there was a meeting? If so, it had completely slipped her mind… Thirdly, she stopped as she took a whiff, and surely enough, she could smell the savory aromas wafting from the kitchen. It was always a delight to have her roommate cook every single meal for them…especially when Marisa's expertise rivaled that of any high class chef. Her mouth was watering within seconds, but as Eirika's melodious laugh broke the silence, she realized the position she was in. They were alone. In her room. There was a bed and both of them were already on it. It was a tempting situation indeed… Fortunately, Eirika seemed to be keeping her distance, so there would hopefully be no complications.

Getting so absorbed in her thoughts, Amelia hadn't noticed when Eirika moved closer her, their faces almost touching. That's why, when the blonde became aware of her surroundings again, she nearly lost her cool. The princess was so close, so close that she could almost taste those pink lips, feel those silky strands between her fingers, and hear Eirika's screams of-

Amelia rose abruptly; her loose flannel nightshirt suddenly became a tad too warm as she rushed to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. "I-I'm going to take a shower!" She yelled back, her voice on the verge of cracking. Quickly, she turned on the water, stripping down to nothing as she plunged into the freezing cold shower. She shivered violently at first, but her thoughts dissipated, and her mind was free from those…images. Settling into the slowly warming water, she sighed, fighting the ideas that now entertained her perversely, but it was a losing battle, as she voiced her desires. "I wonder if Eirika would like to join me in here…" The cascade of warm water running down her back soothed her, almost lulling her into light sleep, her fantasies playing over and over again in her mind.

Minutes later, Amelia stepped out of the steaming shower, grabbing a towel as she dried herself off. Wrapping that same towel around her herself, she stepped out of the bathroom, completely forgetting who her guest was.

"My, my, Amelia…So much for modesty…" Eirika laid on the bed, spread out on her front as she propped up her head with her hands, a magazine in front of her. She smiled widely, her eyes drinking in the sight of the blonde's dripping figure.

Casually, Amelia walked to her closet, a hand securely held her towel close to her. It would be foolhardy to slip up, since the consequences would certainly be dire. "You're still here….?" A touch of sarcasm and annoyance laced her words, but it was all to mask the growing tension in the room.

Eirika pouted as she feigned anger. "Is that really the way to treat your friend? Especially when you haven't given her a proper good morning yet…"

Amelia mumbled a 'good morning', turning back to her closet as she rummaged for a pair of clean undergarments. She glanced over her shoulder at Eirika, who wore a grand smile on her face. Considering the situation, it was not a good sign. Acting with fueled alacrity, Amelia slipped on her strawberry pink panties, attempting to hook on her bra before Eirika moved in for the kill.

"Need some help with that…?"

It was too late.

Amelia swallowed hard as she felt Eirika's icy cold hands run up and down the curves of her body, making her shiver with surprise and delight. She could feel Eirika's slow breathing bearing down on her bare neck; her words were naught but hoarse whispers. The blonde ground her teeth together, fighting the sensations that coursed through her body. As those accursed hands removed her loosened brassiere, her breathing suddenly came in short gasps, her cheeks colored a breathless pink.

With what little strength she had left, Amelia tried to pry Eirika's hungry hands from her. It was getting out of hand. "I-I thought you said…that w-we could never go this f-far…Ahh-"

Teal locks cascaded down Amelia's front, brushing up against her bare chest as Eirika bent down to claim the blonde's supple skin for herself. In between bites, she just managed to get a few words out, but they fully illustrated her point. "I…I've reached my limit…" The princess' smooth hands wrapped around her, wandering aimlessly as they caressed her slowly and softly. They slid further and further downwards, and the slighter girl could barely keep her balance at this point.

"Ahem-"

An awkward silence permeated through the room and the two spun around to see Marisa standing in the doorway, her hand raised to her mouth as she coughed politely. Her shy eyes averted them, directed off towards the side as she combed through her amethyst colored hair nervously.

Eirika was the first to act, as she sprung away from Amelia, her hands waving wildly in the air as if she had just been caught red-handed in the cookie jar. "I-I was just helping Amelia pick out some clothes for today! Hahaha!" She forced out a casual laugh, but it came out tense and unnatural. Not even the student council's president's diplomatic demeanor could save her now.

"Right. I knocked but there was no answer…" Marisa's stone cold expression was ever present, but she was ever modest, averting her eyes from the strange scene. Her manners were certainly inhuman, as if everyone didn't think of her as the monotonous robot who was irresistibly perfect. "Breakfast is ready if you two still want it."

"Thanks…" Amelia said this to their resident cook's retreating back. Her body temperature had sufficiently gone down, and her insatiable craving for a certain high school girl had suddenly been replaced with the desire to wolf down a hearty breakfast.

Off to the side, Eirika sighed heavily, making her way to the door, facing away from the scantily clad Amelia. "That was…close to say the least…"

Amelia returned to her forgotten task, redressing as quickly as she could, buttoning up her school shirt with haphazard haste. She pulled her skirt on, sloppily tucking in the hanging shirt tails, pulling on her sweater vest to cover up the horrendous lack of prim and properness the student council vice president should have had. Looping her red and black striped tie over her head, she belatedly provided her comment to her friend's exasperated relief. "Well…we were lucky that it was only Marisa. Everyone in school knows that she's the kind of girl who won't go out of her way to cause trouble for others. She's quiet, well mannered, a fantastic cook…and…unbelievably cool." Amelia counted the points off on her left hand as she pulled on a stocking with her right.

Eirika made a sound of agreement, staring out into the hallway. There was a pregnant pause before Eirika broke out in a fit a giggles. "She was wearing an apron! A pink, frilly one too! There sure would be uproar amongst the student body if that bit of information got out."

Furrowing her brows in concentration, Amelia thought back, wondering how that rare moment could have slipped her mind. Oh, that's right…she was too busy trying to retain her dignity. "Darn…I can't believe I missed that! The cold Marisa? Wearing a gaudy thing like that? I wish I could've snapped a picture…"

The two broke out in laughter, nearly doubling over with cramps. "It'll be the day when hell freezes over that she adapts _that_ kind of style." Amelia wiped the tears from her eyes, walking over to the door as well.

Suddenly, it was as if the temperature had dropped several degrees. Eirika and Amelia were suddenly relieved of their sense of humor when they spotted Marisa standing in front of them. They both cursed her non existent footfalls.

"I'm going next door to wake Tana. Help yourself to whatever is on the table." Marisa strode off, not an air of anger about her, but since her emotions seemed so stationary, it was pretty hard to tell the difference. Once the click of the door signaled her exit, Eirika and Amelia made their way to the kitchen, but once they spotted the pink apron hanging on a cupboard door, they couldn't help themselves. They just hoped that Marisa wouldn't be able to hear their sniggers from the dorm across the hall.

* * *

The adjacent dorm was completely silent, only the ticking of the clock filled the room. Striding noiselessly over to a door on her right, Marisa slowly opened it and slipped inside. The bedroom was brightly decorated with posters, stuffed animals and all sorts of childish things. Off to the side was a queen sized bed, the covers lying on the floor. Curled up on the lavish bedspread was the figure of a sleeping girl, her raven hair splayed out on her pillow, her chest rising up and down as she continued to snooze away.

Given that the room was empty save for the pink haired girl and her sleeping friend, Marisa smiled gently at the sight of Tana's peaceful state. She crept quietly towards the girl and bent down as she shook her lightly, calling out her name softly. "Tana…Tana, wake up. It's time for school."

Tana rolled over towards Marisa, but the girl's eyes were still closed. "No…no…I don't want to eat the giant rutabaga…you can't make me!"

Marisa raised an eyebrow at that, but ignored those strange mumblings for the time being. It was undeniably time for plan B, something that always worked, no matter the situation. "Tana…it's time for lunch…"

Abruptly, the raven haired girl sat up, her eyes wide open. "I'm ready! Let's go!" With her hands gripping an imaginary fork and knife she looked enthusiastic. After a while though, she glanced around at the walls of her room, the hands of the clock that pointed to 6:30, and Marisa's jovial amusement as she watched Tana make a fool of herself yet again.

"It's good of you to join the land of the living again, sleeping beauty." Marisa helped Tana up off her bed, the sleepy girl still trying to rub the weariness form her eyes.

"It's not fair…You get me every time with that!" Tana pouted as she stared Marisa in her entrancing pink eyes.

"I made you breakfast."

"Really?" Tana's eyes lit up as she hastened herself, rummaging through her closet as she threw on her uniform, leaving a few buttons at the top open. The casual style was nice and all, but her tie was loose and a tad too crooked for Marisa's tastes.

The taller girl shook her head as she approached her ward, stretching out her hands to help make the student council's chief executive more presentable. "Can't you see to it that you present yourself properly, princess?" With a disapproving scowl on her face, Marisa buttoned up Tana's dress shirt, adjusting the crooked tie as she tightened it.

Tana puffed out her cheeks in slight annoyance at her classmate's utter perfectionism. "But this way, it's so constricting and stiff…It-" She raised a hand to slide the knot down a bit further, but Marisa sharply interrupted, stopping Tana's actions with a firm grip.

"Don't try it, princess. Or else you won't get breakfast." Her tone of voice was serious, her eyes, threatening. Tana sighed with defeat, letting herself be subject to the torture of her bodyguard.

"Fine, but didn't I tell you to stop calling me princess? It's so horribly formal…After all the time we've spent together, you still insist on calling me that…" Tana was fed up with the formalities her childhood friend kept piling on her.

Leading the fuming girl over to the vanity, Marisa sat Tana down and began untangling her long raven locks, running her fingers through it as she held a comb in her other hand. Not looking up from her task, she said with much conviction the truth behind her actions. "I think it has a nice ring to it. Besides, it's Princess Tana when we're alone, but outside, it's just Tana. Isn't that good enough?"

The princess' anger suddenly dissipated as she thought about it. It was a name, just for her, something only Marisa addressed her as. An unexpected blush rushed to her cheeks and she mumbled a sound of affirmation. "Hm…I guess I don't mind…if it's you…" The last part came out in almost a whisper, the blush on her face reddened deeply.

The pink haired girl chuckled lightly, the sound of her laughter filling the small room. Tana smiled at the melodious sound. She missed it, since her protective charge never expressed her emotions to the public. To the school populace, Marisa was the indifferent beauty who was exceptionally good at everything. No one would know Marisa's true side, or the contract that bound her to the heir of Frelia's arcane fortune.

"It's done."

Tana was jostled out of her daze as Marisa moved away, the warmth her proximity provided, suddenly gone. Looking in the mirror, Tana smiled as she thanked Marisa for making her hair impeccably perfect once again. "It's beautiful, as always." She stood, giving her hair stylist a sudden peck on the cheek as she smiled widely.

Almost at a loss for words, Marisa spun around and dragged Tana along behind her. "I-uh…Let's get going. Your breakfast is getting cold."

The princess giggled as she glimpsed the faint tinge of pink appear on her friend's cheeks. These little things helped Tana confirm the fact that Marisa was just a normal girl just like her.

* * *

After a delicious breakfast, courtesy of Marisa's famous cooking, the four young women made their way to the school. The meeting was going to underway in a short while, and the four student council members didn't want to keep the rest of the group waiting. For one, their male counterparts from the boys' school across the street were coming to discuss the upcoming Autumn Fair.

As they traversed the campus' vast front yard, animated conversation abounded between the girls. They talked about shoes…makeup…schoolwork…and-

"I'm so looking forward to the fencing tourney coming up! We're going to beat them so hard that they won't even know what hit them!" Tana squealed in excitement, latching onto Marisa even tighter as she giggled.

Amelia chuckled nervously as she wondered how on earth Tana could possibly get so close to their resident ice princess without getting a horrible freezer burn. It sure was a mystery how the two were so close…

"You know we only win because of Marisa's fantastic coaching." Eirika teased Tana with her truthful statement.

The blonde vice president perked up at this, putting in her two cents. "Not to mention Marisa herself! I bet that she could get to the finals alone! No one can stand a chance against her!"

Said swordswoman coughed lightly, turning her head to the side. Tana noticed this strange action and stopped their appointed treasurer in her tracks. "Oh ho, is that a blush I see, Marisa?"

"Of course not." Marisa turned her head quickly, her magenta mane nearly whipping Tana in the face as she did so.

A devilish grin adorned Tana's features; a horrid idea claimed her thoughts. Tana draped her arms around Marisa's shoulders and she could instantly feel the more slender girl tense her limbs. She moved to whisper something in the pink haired girl's ear, but said it loud enough that Amelia and Eirika, who looked on with lopsided grins, could hear her. "If you say so, Marisa. After all…you only blush when I do _those_ things. Like when I kissed you this morning, you turned all red…" The innocent tone in Tana's voice was amazing, especially the way she smiled so innocently when she saw that look of horror occupy Marisa's cherry eyes.

Then, exactly like that morning, as Tana had said, Marisa flushed a red ten times darker than her complexion would allow. It was as if she had been instantly sunburned…by Tana's words.

"I-I Tana! What are you-It was a kiss on the cheek! Nowhere obscene! Don't say such suggestive things!" She had protested this with much fervor; her cold façade melted quite quickly.

Behind the pair, the student president and her second in command couldn't contain their laughter. It was such a rare sight to see the icy young woman get all flustered like that, especially when she objected in her usual quaint manner of speech.

Suddenly, as quickly as her outburst had occurred, Marisa had reverted back to her usual quiet self. She coughed slightly; the remnants of her indignant blush had marred her face. "I need to speak with Tana privately for a moment. Please excuse us." With that, Marisa dragged the princess off, walking several meters in front of their friends.

When Marisa was out of earshot, Amelia giggled, asking Eirika, "Do you think she's mad?"

When Eirika spotted what looked like Marisa pointing fingers and sighing quite noticibly, she was quite convinced that their cool treasurer had…lost her cool. "I don't think she could ever be mad at Tana…but I would say…annoyed."

Tana cringed under Marisa's glares as they walked in silence. "I'm sorry, Marisa. I was just teasing…"

The glaring daggers had let up and Marisa sighed. "I know, but it would be troublesome if _those_ kind of rumors spread. It would be damaging to your reputation and your father would certainly be horrified…"

The princess rolled her eyes as she brushed her hair out of her eyes absently. "Oh, come on…rumors like these are bound to float around in a girls' school…especially ours…." At this point Tana changed her attitude as she proudly said. "Have I told you yet? I've figured out the way the rumor train works. The ones who are actually guilty of anything don't get discovered, while the ones who are innocent get busted for no reason. I mean, look at Amelia and Eirika…They're all over each other and they're safe from the clutches of teenage gossip"

Marisa contemplated this thought for a second and the things that Tana said finally made sense. "I see...but how is that supposed to help with my concern…?"

"Oh, haha...The funny thing is…that it doesn't!" Tana rubbed her head sheepishly as she said this, avoiding Marisa's piercing glare.

"Tana…" Marisa's tone was all but gentle, but Tana was unaffected…too much.

"But, really, they're just rumors. What are you so afraid of?" Tana's jovial countenance upset any negative feelings as she said this, but suddenly, a thought came to her. She tapped her chin as she analyzed the situation. "Oh, I understand now…are you thinking about the motto that says there's a drop of truth in every lie? That in the end, we'll end up denying it so much-! That we fall madly in love…?"

They had gotten a lot closer now. Marisa could feel Tana's sultry words play against her ear, caressing the nape of her neck. The princess' face was too close for comfort, only mere centimeters away. She could see the gleam in her sparkling sapphire eyes, the invitation of her small, perfectly shaped lips, and the strands of blue hair that messily framed her porcelain features…

They stayed like that for but a moment until Tana sprung away, a wide grin on her face as she stuck her tongue out playfully. "I'm sure that's it! But we'll fight the temptation! Won't we, Marisa?"

"Tana! Again, you utter such…such suggestive things!" Marisa had run out of steam. Her prior shock had simply zapped all the feeling out of her, and only a hint of anger was left to lace her voice.

"You know I'm just teasing!" Tana gave Marisa a hug, nuzzling her head against her guard's stiff shoulder.

"You're…heavy…Princess…" Marisa struggled as she literally dragged the princess along the pavement.

"But it's just like old times! Remember when we used to go to the park? You always dragged me along!" Tana clung tighter, smiling from ear to ear at the thought of such nostalgic memories.

"You were sitting in a wagon. And I was pulling it. Around the park. Wagons have wheels, princess…and you were 7 at the time." Marisa drove herself onwards, even with the hundred pound girl weighing her down.

Even with the logical equation stated, Tana didn't loosen her grip, but instead, said. "Wow! Marisa, you have such good memory!"

The princess was enjoying her free ride so much that she failed to notice that Marisa had stilled her tracks.

"Tana. Get off."

With the chilly change in Marisa's demeanor, Tana instantly complied and let go. She was about to apologize when she realized that her friend visibly tensed, scrutinizing something far away in the distance. The atmosphere had become apprehensive now. It had been a while since the last time Marisa bore her proverbial fangs. It was the incident that happened last summer, when a bunch of thugs held the two at gunpoint as they walked home from dinner at a restaurant. Marisa's posture, and coldness was exactly the same as that time.

"Marisa, what's the situation?"

"Something's coming. I want you to stay back until I give you the all clear. Do you understand?" Marisa turned her head to glance back at Tana; the worry in her stone cold eyes was evident.

"I un-Behind you!" Tana's eyes widened at the appearance of a ghostly figure approaching them, rushing towards them with frightening speed. It had a raised claw, the black appendage dripping with blood. The strike was clearly aimed for Tana and she let out a piercing scream. Time had seemingly frozen as a myriad of thoughts swirled in her mind. It wasn't the shock of being attacked by an unearthly being, but the familiarity of it all. It had happened once, it had happened many times. She could feel her body move as she tried to grip something at her side that wasn't there.

The beast was so close that she could smell its rancid breath, see the venomous saliva dripping from its fangs, and hear the call of the grim reaper as she stared into the monster's deep, blood red orbs.

She was going to die.


	3. Chapter 2: The Calm Before the Storm

**A/N: **Total filler. Don't worry. Please hold on until the action arrives next chapter. It's running a little late. In the meanwhile, please continue to read and review

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**Love Not Allowed**

**Chapter 2 – **The Calm Before the Storm

* * *

'_We can't tell them that…they won't believe us…'_

Voices echoed in the expanse of Tana's mind, feeling far away.

'_There's no other way we can explain it…and I'm sure of what I saw…just ask Marisa…"_

'Marisa?' Tana juggled the name in her head, finally putting a face to it as her memories slowly flooded back. Straining her ears to hear the conversation floating around her, she found herself recognizing the heated voices.

"Amelia…you can't be certain that that's what you saw…the moment was hectic and nothing can be certain."

As Tana lay there, she knew it was the calm and cool headed Eirika talking, and Amelia must have been in the room somewhere as well, but where was Marisa?

"I know what I saw! I've seen it somewhere before. It's some kind of wolf. It had fur, fangs, four legs and a tail. Just go ask Marisa! She'll tell you that it was a wolf that injured her!"

At that notion, Tana's heart nearly skipped a beat and her eyes immediately shot open. "What?!"

A pregnant pause swept out through the hospital room as both Eirika and Amelia turned their heads to stare at Tana. Their mouths were agape with shock, but slowly, smiles made their way onto both their overjoyed faces.

"Tana! Thank goodness you're awake!" Eirika rushed over to ensnare Tana in a bone crushing hug.

"A-ah Eirika!" The blue haired girl gave a small shout of protest, but soon after that, was bombarded by none other than Amelia.

"We were so worried after we saw you lying so still on the ground like that…and the doctors didn't know what was wrong with you…" Amelia nuzzled her cheek into Tana's shoulder, embracing her tightly.

Tana thought to herself, racking her brain for some quite pertinent answers. However, she just drew a blank. "Say…what do you mean when you said I was lying on the ground? What happened earlier? Where am I?"

Instantly, the confused girl felt her friends pull away. They looked at her with concern, though their skepticism clearly showed.

"Do you…really not remember what happened?" Eirika asked, holding her breath as she waited for the answer. Tana simply shook her head.

Furrowing her brows, Amelia spoke up. "Well, we were going to the meeting this morning, remember? Then, while you and Marisa walked ahead of us to talk about some private matters, something attacked the two of you…" The blonde paused, trying to compose her words in a way where it wouldn't send Tana into a panic attack. "Umm…" The vice president twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she bit her lip, looking deep in thought.

"Just tell me already!" Tana was getting impatient, pouting as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Then…apparently…Marisa took the blow for you from the strange creature that appeared. She was bleeding a lot, but managed to kill the beast with something. By the time we got there, it had disappeared into a pillar of black smoke. We called the ambulance afterwards and they took you both away." Amelia fidgeted with the hem of her skirt as her emerald eyes darted around nervously. Leaving some unimportant details were ok…right?

"Marisa's wounded? Is she alright, now? Where is she?" Tana sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed as she looked for her shoes.

"She's in the room down the hall to your right. Room number 73." Eirika said this as she rummaged through a box with Tana's personal effects stored neatly inside, pulling out a pair of scuffed dress shoes. "Here."

"Oh, thanks, Eirika." Tana smiled as she thanked her friend, quickly stepping into her shoes as she headed for the door. Before she even had a chance to turn the doorknob, Amelia called after her.

"Tana! Wait! I think it would be best if you buttoned up your shirt before you went out into the hall…" The blonde turned her head shyly as she avoided looking at Tana's well endowed bosom.

Red faced and dumbstruck, Tana hastily did up her dress shirt, and she realized that more questions posed themselves in her mind now.

"Before you say anything. It was the doctors who partially undressed you. You-uh seemed to be…" Eirika trailed off at this, her eyes dropping to the ground as she barely whispered the rest of her sentence. "Going into cardiac arrest…"

"I-what?" She was shocked beyond belief and couldn't believe her ears, but she shook the thought off as she turned towards the door. "I'll…talk to you guys about this later. Right now, I just want to see how Marisa's doing first." With that, she bid her friends a 'see you soon' as she made her way down the hall, passing by various hospital staff and other patients.

The numbers went by as she continued on until she spotted room 73. It was a room wedged in the corner, obscured from plain view. The door was slightly open and Tana was about to push past it to get in, but she stopped when she heard low voices conversing inside.

"You sure are out of practice…you…more…right…?"

Bits and pieces of the conversation were lost, but she recognized the obviously male voice. The charm that simply dripped off his casual tone was more than enough of a hint. There was no mistaking the smooth talker of a teacher, Joshua, the only math teacher that drove all the girls of St. Rausten's crazy, not to mention that he was the only male teacher in the school… Sure he taught both her and Marisa math, but what was he doing in what was supposed to be Marisa's hospital room? She leaned in closer to hear the rest of the conversation.

"It has been a while, but I assure you…I…"

Tana's eyes widened in surprise as she heard Marisa's voice. It really was Marisa's room, but that sly redhead's presence was all too suspicious. She leaned in even closer, pressing her ear up against the door carefully.

"How bout we meet…outside…for…"

She frowned in frustration as the crucial parts left her guessing wildly. Flattening herself against the door, she assured herself that it was for Marisa's own safety that she was eavesdropping.

"Of course…my pleasure…I've missed…with you…"

At this point a vein nearly ruptured at Marisa's words. Where the blank spots were made filling in the missing words create a quite a provocative image. Or maybe, Tana's mind was too deep in the gutter. Whatever the reason, she appeared to be too worked up over it, because she hadn't noticed when she was leaning against the open door a little too heavily. Soon enough, she ended up sprawled across the floor in Marisa's room.

"Oof!"

Lying on the floor, she tried to pick herself up as quickly as possible, scrambling to her feet, chuckling nervously as she smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that. I guess I just tripped…"

She looked around the room and things were not at all as she suspected. Marisa was up and about, standing at the window, while Joshua was sitting on the hospital bed. She must have been looking out it at one time, but now, her vibrant pink eyes were directed at Tana. "Tana?" She sounded surprised, but there was a hint of fear in her voice.

"Marisa, are you feeling alright?" Tana took a couple strides towards her friend, wondering if she should give her savior a hug or not, since the girl looked a tad too fragile at that moment.

Instead of answering her question, Marisa turned to Joshua, who had his usual wry smile on his thin lips. "Joshua, if you would please excuse us. Let us talk about this another time, if that's alright."

"That's more than alright. It's not problem with me." He smiled widely, certainly an intended lady-killer smile. Joshua stood, shoving his right hand into his pocket as he made his way towards the door. His long crimson locks were tied back into a ponytail, and it swished back and forth behind him as he sauntered towards the door. Before he left, he turned to face Tana, pushing up his square rimmed glasses as he smirked. "You sure are a high maintenance package, princess. Let's not get your royal guard into any more trouble shall we?" With that, he left; his soft, tenor laugh still audible as he walked down the hall.

Her mouth agape with shock, she wondered how her math teacher possibly knew her secret. She turned to her pink haired companion. "Marisa, what did he mean by that?"

By the look of horror on the princess' face, Marisa realized what the girl was so afraid of. Chuckling, she reassured her. "Don't worry, Tana. He's one of us. I used to work with him a couple of years ago. He's a trustworthy man."

"If you say so Marisa…but let's get back to the matter at hand. How are your injuries?" Tana's concern filled expression made Marisa's heart jump with apprehension.

"I'm fine. My injuries are healing quickly and they said they were going to discharge me by the end of the week…" Marisa sighed as she said this, leading Tana over to the sit on the hospital cot.

"I see, but…what I meant was…could you show me? Could you show me where you were injured?" The princess held an air of seriousness; her teasing was left for some other time.

"Oh. Yes, of course…" Marisa rolled up her sleeve, procuring a bulky cast that encased her right arm. "It's not my dominant arm, so I'll be fine." Next, she rolled up the pant leg of her hospital garments, exposing a swath of bandages that covered her upper thigh. Seeing Tana's pained look, Marisa explained. "They're nothing. Just scratches. The bindings are to prevent infection. It's really nothing." After that, Marisa shyly pulled up the hem of her shirt; pristine, white wrappings covered her mid-section. She pulled her top back down as she observed Tana closely.

"I'm so sorry." She turned away from Marisa, a guilty look on her face.

"Ah-" Suddenly, Tana felt a pair of arms snake around her waist, hesitating for a second before she felt Marisa bring herself closer.

"You don't know how much I worry about you. Today was too close…" The generally stoic girl sounded uncharacteristically hurt, her voice trailing off into Tana's sweater.

"I-I'm sorry for all this trouble I've caused you…If it weren't for me, you-" Tana was cut off as Marisa interjected, tightening her hold all the while.

"Don't be sorry. I'd do it again if I had to. I would give anything for you. Not because you're my employer, but because you're my friend…my…family." The girl nestled closer, resting her head on Tana's shoulder.

Tana wondered what had gotten into her usually inexpressive protector, a look of pleasant surprise on her face. However…it was quite the nice change. "I'm glad you feel that way." She smiled as she relaxed into the embrace, threading her fingers through Marisa's as they sat on the hospital bed, enjoying the mere presence of the other.

Meanwhile…just meters away, behind the open door, the president and her second in command crouched down, peering into the gap.

"Wow. Marisa's a completely different person when it's just Tana around…" Amelia had her eyes fixated on the scene unfolding before her, astounded by the other side of their council's treasurer that she never knew existed. A blush spread across her face as she watched the two, immersed in a personal moment… "Hey, Eirika…maybe we should stop this. They're clearly having a very private discussion, so it would be best to leave them alone."

Amelia received no reply, but she did hear Eirika sniffle quite loudly. "E-Eirika? Are you alright?" The blonde turned around to face her friend.

Immediately, Eirika averted Amelia's gaze, rubbing her eyes furiously. "I-I'm alright. Nothing's happened! I've just…got something in my eye…"

The younger girl leaned in close to inspect Eirika's face. "Let's see…there's nothing in there. Except for your finger that is…" She rolled her eyes, getting up as she dragged a pouting Eirika away from room number 73. "We should gather Tana's things and bring it to her before we get back to school."

"B-but…their friendship is so touching…it would make for a beautiful story plot…I just want to see how it plays out." Eirika dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a tissue as Amelia hauled her along by the arm.

"Oh, stop your dramatics…it's wrong to pry into other people's businesses…" There was a long pause before Amelia carried on, a vehement blush stained her pale cheeks. "Say…Eirika…do you think they're going out?"

The waterworks suddenly stopped and Eirika was all too overwhelmed by the female urge to indulge in gossip. "In my personal opinion, they seem more like a pair of newly-weds, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were going out. But…there were all those rumors about Marisa…"

Eirika's partner in crime turned to her, a horrified look on her face. "You mean those rumors that say Marisa's been seeing Mr. Joshua? You really think those are true?"

The teal haired girl looked guilty as she bit her lip. "I've seen them around campus alone together…and I just saw him coming from this direction earlier…and you do say that she leaves the dorm at odd hours."

Amelia contemplated this. Everything seemed to fit together give or take a couple e of points, but the cold Marisa didn't really seem to be one to sleep with teachers. Actually, Marisa didn't seem to be interested in any kind of relationship… "Well…let's just put that matter aside for now…We can't base anything on speculations. Let's just get Tana her things and get back before visiting hours are over."

Eirika nodded wordlessly as they picked up their pace. However…they were in for quite a shock when they returned to Marisa's assigned hospital room.

"What do you mean they wanted to check out early?!? That's just-just irresponsible!" Eirika fumed as she waved the piece of paper frantically in Amelia's face. "They can't just decide to walk off like that!! And out the window too? This is a third story building! They'll just get themselves into a lot more trouble…" The president sighed as she collapsed into an armchair sitting in the corner of the empty room. Only a short note was left and the window was suspiciously left wide open, the cool breeze filling the room.

"Calm down Eirika…I'm sure they'll be fine. Since Tana's with Marisa, I'm sure they won't run into anything they can't handle." Amelia put a hand on Eirika's shoulder, trying to play the comforting friend role.

"Marisa has a broken arm, three broken ribs and horrible lacerations on her right leg…" Eirika massaged her temples, wondering how this day got so hectic. The worst part was the fact that outside, the sky was pitch black and they had to take the bus back to the school's dorms since they didn't have enough money for a taxi…

Amelia scratched her head sheepishly as she chuckled unnervingly. "Oh…is that the case? Don't worry…they…they…oh shit… What should we do…?"

"For starters, I think we should head home before it gets any more dangerous to travel at this time of day… If they don't show up at the dorms before 11, we'll call the police." At that, Eirika stood, beckoning to Amelia as they walked out of the room and down the hall.

* * *

The sound of traffic filled the air as cars whistled by, their bright headlights illuminating the warm spring night. Leaning against the wall of a gas station, Tana waited, rocking back and forth on her heels as she yelled out to Marisa, who was currently in the station's washroom. "Marisa! Are you done yet?" 

Instead of an answer, Tana heard the door click open as Marisa stepped out, dressed neatly in her school uniform. She straightened her tie as she turned towards Tana, an apologetic smile on her face. "Sorry for the wait, Princess Tana. It was a little bothersome with _this _on." She motioned to the white cast on her arm as she made a face at the hindrance.

Tana giggled at her classmate's amusing expression, marveling in Marisa's ability to be so unintentionally cute. "My, you're such a child sometimes, Marisa! On the other hand…how did you get a fresh set of clothes?" With that, Tana linked arms with Marisa as they started walked down the deserted street, the streetlight buzzing on and off overhead.

"Joshua brought it to me. Since Amelia and Eirika rode in the ambulance with us, they didn't have a chance to grab anything." Marisa's pink eyes seemed to be directed towards the stars as she said this, her mind seemingly unfocused.

Tana nodded as they walked on, conversation forgotten as they gazed at the bright stars that shone so rarely in the city sky.

* * *


End file.
